So Blind
by theromangoddess
Summary: Summer of 1960: Albus and Minerva have been friends for years, but he's only ever seen her as a friend. That is all about to change with a little help from his friends and the Ministry's annual Midsummer Night's Ball.
1. Chapter 1

1**A/N:** I've been gone for a bit, but MMADfan's epic _Resolving a Misunderstanding_ brought me out of my funk and made me want to write for the first time in years. So, here's a story inspired by the musical _Calamity Jane_ that has been floating around half-formed in my mind for years.

This story takes place in 1960. I've played with Minerva and Albus's ages a little bit, I figure that if JKR can do it, why can't I?

Chapter 1

_Minerva's Musings_

Minerva smiled slightly as she moved her rook, not because she had just secured herself an eventual victory, but because this was her favorite part of the game. She loved the moment just after she had finished her move, because it meant that her competitor's attention would be focused entirely upon the chessboard, and she could steal a few moments to watch him. Minerva loved moments like this, when she could watch Albus completely undisturbed, his blue eyes piercing the board as he studied his next move, seeming to burn even the marble of his white chessmen. How Minerva wished that his eyes would bore into hers with that same fire and intensity!

She had loved Albus since she'd first met him, and yet he thought of her solely as a brain, a confidant, a shoulder to lean on, a reliable ear, and worst of all, that dreaded word, a friend. He could never love her as she loved him. Merlin! He didn't even see her as a woman. Not that she could blame him. She was never exactly pretty. She was tall and gawky with large breasts, child-bearing hips, harsh grey eyes, and morbid black hair. She had never dressed like the other girls or concerned herself with her appearance. She had been far too concerned with her course work. Not that she regretted it, though, Minerva mused as she watched Albus rub his chin, that was how she'd met Albus after all.

Minerva remembered it vividly even though it had been almost ten years ago. It was the fall of 1950, Albus had read one of her article's on the practical applications of inorganic-organic transfigurations during the summer, and he had been so impressed by her article that he had asked his friends to find out what he could about her, and had then proceeded to read all of her books, even her proof on the multi-animal potential for the animagus. After reading her books, he had his friends track her down. He eventually found her through a friend who had a child who attended L' Academie de La Magie in Lyons, France, a wizarding university where she was a professor of transfiguration. He had called her and asked her to give him her opinion on an article that he'd written, and they found that the worked together so well that they decided to collaborate on a book on the application of particle theory to advanced transfiguration. That book lead to more collaborations, and eventually a close-knit friendship. Albus began to rely heavily upon Minerva and Minerva's attraction to Albus began to turn into love, the most destructive love in the world, unrequited love.

Even as they became closer and began to spend more and more time together, Minerva managed to keep her love of Albus at bay. They lived in two different countries, and she knew that he could never love her, she was happy just being his friend. Then, in the winter of 1955, Minerva's life changed forever, the headmaster, Armando Dippet, died suddenly and Albus became the headmaster, leaving the post of transfigurations professor open, and Albus knew of only one person capable of filling his shoes, Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva became the transfigurations professor, the head of Gryffindor house and the deputy headmistress all at once. It was a wonderful time and a terrible time for Minerva, to be so close to Albus and yet so far away. They spent so much time together, and they behaved like a couple, they attended conferences, dinners and balls together, and yet, despite Albus's reputation as a playboy, no one ever once linked them romantically in a tabloid or a newspaper. Minerva knew that it shouldn't bother her, but she also knew that the only reason that the papers didn't connect them was that everyone knew she wasn't Albus's type, and that hurt. He always dated dim, curvaceous, petite, beautiful, desirable women, and none of them were ever very permanent. She just wasn't his type, as much as she wanted to be.

Albus leaned back in his chair, and stretched his arms. Minerva pulled herself out of her reverie, she knew that he'd decided on his next move.

A/N: I love reviews!! You know you want to send me one.


	2. Chapter 2

1Chapter 2

_An Unexpected Visitor_

Albus smiled to himself as he bounded up the stairs toward Minerva's rooms. He was looking forward to meeting his old friend for lunch. He loved the summers. Since Minerva had moved into the castle, they had a few months completely to themselves. They could walk in the gardens, work on lesson plans, and play chess at leisure. It was just the two of them. That was Albus's favorite thing about Minerva, just spending time together as friends.

Minerva was brilliant and witty and funny. She always had some small insightful comment that would make him laugh. Just the other day they had been taking a stroll through the gardens, when Albus had commented on the beauty of a flower, and without batting an eyelash Minerva had commented that flowers were one thing that men and women viewed entirely differently. When Albus had asked her what she meant, she said simply that men think about giving flowers while women think about receiving them. It was such an obvious comment, and yet it was profoundly true. Men did think about flowers in terms of beauty and what they would mean to the woman who received them, and women he supposed thought about wanting to receive flowers from the men that they loved, and also about wanting to be able to have the flowers last and smell pretty, since they would actually have to live with them, whereas the men would possess them for a much briefer period of time.

That was one of the first times that it had really occurred to Albus that he and Minerva were different. He had always thought of her as his equal. A person with a brilliant mind and a clever tongue, but during the course of that conversation something else had become clear to Albus. Minerva was a woman, and as such there were certain things that they would just never view in the same light.

Albus was so lost in his thoughts about Minerva's philosophy of flowers, as he bounded up the stairs, that he did not hear someone coming around the turn down the stairs in the other direction, and as such he ran smack into a rather shorter and plumper figure.

"So sorry, Albus. I'm afraid I wasn't watching where I was going." sputtered a slightly disheveled Horace Slughorn.

"It's alright, Horace. I wasn't paying much attention either." Albus said with a smile. Suddenly it registered in Albus's mind that Horace had gone home for the summer. Had he returned to see him? It would be unfortunate to have to break his lunch with Minerva in order to visit with Horace. "What brings you back to the castle?" Albus asked Horace.

"Oh, I just stopped by to see Minerva." Horace said dropping his gaze to the floor.

Stopped by to see Minerva? What on earth could Horace want with Minerva?

"I wanted to ask her if she would accompany me to the Ministry's annual midsummer night's ball." Horace's cheeks took on a faint pink hue, and he dropped his gaze to the floor again.

Albus inwardly released a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. She must have turned him down. He and Minerva always attended the ball together. Horace must just not have noticed that it was tradition. Poor bloke! He was probably just trying to secure himself a powerful date. Horace was power hungry, and Minerva was a very powerful witch. "Sorry, old chap. I know that you must be disappointed, but I'm sure that you'll be able to find someone else to go with." Albus said to Horace, trying to keep a smile from creeping onto his face.

"What!?" Horace asked sputtering like a tea kettle. "You must be mistaken. Minerva's agreed to go with me."

Suddenly a lead weight dropped into the pit of Albus's stomach. His throat tightened, and his face seemed to freeze. "Well, I'm sure you two will have a wonderful time together." Albus managed to choke out.

"I'm sure we will. Minerva's a lovely woman. Well, I'd better be going. I've got a lunch meeting with no less than three members of the Ministry. I'll see you soon, Albus." With that Horace pushed past Albus and headed down the stairs.

"Pompous ass!" Albus muttered under his breath. What did he want with Minerva? Why would he ask her of all witches? What did he mean she was a lovely witch? Did Horace have feelings for Minerva? No, that was impossible...or was it? "Damn!" Albus swore under his breath. Why did he care? Why shouldn't Horace go with Minerva? Because he was supposed to go with Minerva, he answered silently. They always went everywhere together. She was much more interesting than his dates, and he was sure that he was more interesting than Horace Slughorn. His shoulders slumped as he began to continue his trek up the stairs this time at an amble.


	3. Chapter 3

1Chapter 3

_Albus's Musings_

As Albus continued his slow trek up the stairs, he continued to ponder why Horace would ask Minerva to go to the ball with him. It wasn't as if Minerva was beautiful, or lovely, as Horace had put it, Albus added bitterly. At least he'd never thought of her that way. He supposed she had some charms, her eyes were bright and her features were not un-fair, but she was his Minerva, his best-friend, not Horace's.

That was what truly bothered him. They always went together. Why would she agree to go with Horace? What if she was in love with him? The image made him laugh. Minerva, his smart, funny Minerva in love with Horace Slughorn. It was comical.

And Horace, what was Horace thinking asking his Minerva to the ball? He should know better. He'd worked at the castle long enough to know not to try to come between the headmaster and his deputy and best friend. Why would Horace do that? Could he truly be attracted to Minerva? It was impossible. Minerva wasn't attractive...and yet, what if she was attractive, and Horace thought so and everyone thought so except for him? No, that was silly...or was it? Memories began to flow unbidden into Albus's mind.

There was the time years ago, before Armando's death, when he had commented on Albus's relationship with Minerva and the amount of time that they spent together. Albus had managed to assure him that they were only friends, that he would never think of Minerva like that. She wasn't that sort of woman. They were friends. She was his equal. She was a buddy, a pal. Armando had commented that none of his friends had figures like Minerva's or such lovely features. Albus had laughed it off as a joke at the time, but what if it wasn't a joke? What if Armando really thought that Minerva was beautiful?

Then he remembered the time, right after Minerva began teaching, when he had caught two Gryffindors walking through the corridors talking about their new head of house's ample curves, and how they wished they'd taken their NEWTS in Transfiguration. He had escorted them both to his office, given them each a week's worth of detentions and taken fifty house points from each of them. In retrospect, it may have been a tad harsh.

Then he remembered the time that he and Minerva had been staying at the castle for the summer, around 1957, and they had traveled into Hogsmeade for the afternoon. They had gone to get ice cream, and were walking down the street when they ran into Albus's brother Aberforth. Albus had introduced Minerva and Aberforth, and Minerva excused herself to go run an errand. After Minerva left, Aberforth gestured to a bench and they sat down.

"So, brother," Aberforth asked "that's the women you write all those books with?"

"Why, yes. Minerva and I are partners."

"In what capacity?" Aberforth asked with a slight smirk.

"What do you mean?" Albus asked.

"Just that you two probably had some entertaining moments between chapters..."

"Oh, you mean like two characters in a novel, who are perceived in one light by the protagonist, and therefore only seen in one way, but they do a lot of things between the chapters." Albus said with a smile. "Yes, we are a bit like that. We played a lot of chess during our breaks."

"Is that what they're calling it now?" Aberforth asked with a smirk. "I know I'd sure like to play a lot of chess with her." Aberforth said raising his eyebrow.

Albus didn't have time to respond, however, as Minerva had returned with a box of Ginger Newts and a bag of Lemon Drops for him.

Albus sighed as he stood outside Minerva's door. There was no point pondering it further. It was as it was, Minerva would be attending the ball with Slughorn, and he would just have to find himself a real date.


	4. Chapter 4

1Thanks to MMADjane, SnakeLionTwins and Minerva M McGonagall for their reviews.

Chapter 4

_Meeting with Minerva_

Albus hesitated before knocking on Minerva's door. What was wrong with him? This was his Minerva. Nothing had changed, even if she was going to the ball with Slughorn.

Albus knocked once, and Minerva called for him to enter, as always. She was arranging berries and cream, and french toast on her living room table. She smiled up at him as he entered.

"Hello, Albus. How has your day been?" She asked with a smile that seemed to light up the room and ease his fears.

"My morning's been fine. I had some business to attend to this morning at the Ministry, but the meeting was almost endurable. How has your morning been?" He asked calmly, anticipating her response.

"Fine. I answered my correspondence, and yours as well, and then I spent some time doing a crossword puzzle from the Prophet. Nothing out of the usual."

Albus frowned, she hadn't mentioned Horace. What did that mean? He sat down at the table. "This isn't a very typical Minerva McGonagall lunch." Albus said with a smile.

"No, well, I know that French toast is one of your favorites, and you should eat more fruit, so I thought we'd have a bit of a breakfast-themed lunch. Merlin knows you've endured an awful lot of fish on my account."

"Well, what else can one expect when one is dining with a cat?" Albus asked with a raised eyebrow, and Minerva swatted him playfully.

They fell into a companionable silence, as Albus load his plate with French toast, and slathered the toast with syrup, honey, sugar and cinnamon, and then prepared a plate for Minerva with one piece of French toast covered in a bit of honey and some ginger...just the way she liked it. Minerva scooped berries into Albus's bowl and then covered them in gobs of cream, and then dusted them with sugar, since she knew that that was how he liked them, then she fixed herself a small bowl sans cream and sugar. She then fixed Albus a cup of hot cocoa and poured herself a cup of tea.

As they began to eat, Albus stole a few furtive glances at Minerva. How should he approach the Horace question? Minerva hadn't mentioned it...and she wasn't behaving any differently than she usually did. Shouldn't she be giddy or beaming or something, if she were in love with Horace? How to broach the question?

Albus put a piece of toast in his mouth, and then, as he cut his next piece, he said, "So, I ran into Horace this morning..." he never lifted his eyes from his plate as he let the unspoken question drag in the air.

Minerva blushed as she scooped her berries, eyes downcast, "Oh, ah, yes, Horace stopped by this morning. He, um, he asked if I'd, um, accompany him to the ball, and, um, I agreed to go."

It took all of Albus's willpower to smile, despite the fact that his last hope was gone, she had agreed to go with Horace, and she had blushed at the mention of his name. He would just have to find someone else to go with. Why should it matter to him if she went with Horace anyway? They were just friends. He had no rights over her...no control of her.

"Well, that's good. I'm sure you too will have a good time." Albus said with a carefree lightness that he didn't feel.

Minerva's heart plummeted. She would have ditched Horace in a moment, if Albus would just have asked her to go. In all the years she'd known him, he had never asked her to go with him to a ball. They had just gone together as friends, it was expected. Was it so wrong to want to be asked? To want to be treated like a woman?

She smiled, even as her heart was crushed and bruised, "Yes, I'm sure we will."

Suddenly, seeing how happy she seemed about going with Horace, a possessive streak overcame Albus. She was his Minerva. His best friend. "I ran into Nicholas this morning at the Ministry."

"Oh," Minerva said casually, looking up, as she spooned her berries.

"He invited me to dinner tonight."

"Oh, so you won't be in the castle tonight." Minerva said, trying not to let the sound of disappointment creep into her voice. "Don't worry. I'll watch the castle."

"No, Minerva," Albus said shaking his head, "I want you to come with me."

Minerva looked up suddenly, confusion in her eyes, "You want me to come with you?"

He nodded and smiled, "We've been friends for years, and you've never met them. It's about time that they meet my best friend."

His words cut Minerva like a night, but she smiled in spite of herself, "That sounds lovely."


	5. Chapter 5

1Chapter 5

_A Conversation with an Ex-Headmaster_

Albus paced up and down his office, attempting to clear his head. He still wasn't sure why he had asked Minerva to come with him to the Flammels. He had been to dinner at their house a million times since he and Minerva had become friends, and he had never felt compelled to invite her before.

There was something about the fact that Minerva had agreed to go to the ball with Horace that was bothering him. It made him fell possessive and dare he say a bit jealous. He didn't want Horace to interfere in his relationship with Minerva. He wanted things to stay as they were. He didn't want Horace to come between them.

He'd known Minerva for years...he couldn't even remember how many, and in all that time he had never known her to date. In that time he had dated many women...many many women...he couldn't even remember how many. Minerva had always been his Minerva though. He had never had to share her before and the thought was bothering him. What if he lost her to Horace? He couldn't live without his best friend. Who would he talk to? Who would he play chess with?

As he paced the former headmasters and headmistresses surveyed him. They shot each other knowing glances as he paced slowly and muttered things like 'pompous ass!,' 'bore,' 'not good enough,' and 'pretentious pig.' Finally, Dillys nudged Armando Dippet, urging him to speak to the headmaster.

"She's really got you in a state this time, hasn't she?" Armando asked with a crooked smile.

"What?" Albus asked, stopping abruptly, and slipping clumsily out of his reverie.

"Minerva. Can I assume that she is the reason you're wearing trenches in your floor?"

"No. Well, yes. I suppose so." Albus said, resuming his previous track.

"What has she done to you that has you in such a state?" Armando asked patiently.

"She's going to the ball with Horace Slughorn." Albus spit out Horace's name as if it were a poison.

"Ah," Armando said knowingly, "you're jealous."

"No." Albus snapped. "I most certainly am not."

Armando thought Albus might stomp his foot like a two-year old at any moment. "So, what's the issue then?"

"It's inconvenient."

"Inconvenient?" Armando asked, confused.

"We always go together, so I hadn't bothered asking anyone. I spent the entire afternoon looking through my little black books. It took hours. You wouldn't imagine how many women hung up on me."

Armando thought that he could probably imagine just how many women would like to hang up on Albus, if his treatment of Minerva was anything to go by, he was obtuse. He had never even thought about asking Minerva to go with him, and then he was surprised when she decided to go with someone else. "So, did you finally find someone to go with you?"

"Eventually," Albus said slowly. "Do you remember that American witch that I dated about fifteen years ago, Gene Adams?"

Armando felt the temperature in the room drop, as the other former headmasters and former headmistresses fell silent and stared at Albus. Armando found it difficult not to let the surprise and disappointment show on his own face. "About five feet tall, thin, long brown hair, blue eyes, absolutely gorgeous?"

"I suppose so." Albus said with a shrug.

Armando shook his head. Poor Minerva! To have to endure seeing Albus walking in with her. "I remember her."

"I wish Minerva would have gone with me. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. Besides I wouldn't have invited her to the Flammels tonight, and I wouldn't be worrying about introducing them."

"Right that would be more convenient. It would have been nice of you to leave Minerva here at the castle while you had your fun. Like you always do." Dillys said sarcastically. She just couldn't help herself.

Albus looked up sharply. He hadn't meant it like that.

"Why did you invite her to the Flammels?" Armando asked quietly, pulling Albus out of his stupor.

Albus shrugged. "I don't want Horace to interfere with our friendship."

Dillys sighed, "Oh, Albus, you are so blind."


	6. Chapter 6

1Chapter 6

_Conversations Before Dinner_

Minerva smoothed down the skirt of her robes, and surveyed her appearance in the mirror for about the thousandth time that night. She knew that she shouldn't be nervous. She knew it wasn't a date, and yet she couldn't help but think that it was probably the closest she'd ever get to a date with Albus. She was about to meet the Flammels, they were like family to Albus, and she so wanted to make a good impression.

Turning, she surveyed her appearance one last time...it would have to do. She had her hair up in a french twist, which she considered to be a bit more casual and less stern than her usual bun, and she was wearing a set of light, flowing green robes. They did more to accentuate her figure than most of her teaching clothes and they were made of a much lighter material. She had also opted to leave her glasses at home, since she only really needed them when she was reading.

Minerva looked up at the clock and sighed, Albus was late again. As she was pondering whether she should trek up to his office to get him, there was a knock at her door. Minerva smiled slightly, cast one last quick glance at the mirror, and then opened the door.

Albus smiled as Minerva opened the door, "I'm sorry about being late, my dear. I was having a rather heated discussion with the portraits in my office, and they wouldn't allow me to leave."

Minerva smiled, shaking her head slightly, as she walked out into the hallway, "And what, pray tell, was this scintillating conversation about?"

Albus felt himself begin to flush, and he was immediately grateful for the candlelight and the length of his beard. "Oh, nothing much, just the impending ball."

"Oh," Minerva said, her face falling slightly, as they made the trip towards the castle gate. "What about the ball?"

Albus stammered. He knew Minerva better than that. He should have anticipated that question. "Just talking about my date."

"Oh," Minerva said, as her heart sank, he had already had a date. Now she was truly glad that she'd agreed to go with Horace. Otherwise she would have been stuck alone while Albus attended the ball with some beautiful woman. Horace wasn't much but he was better than nothing. "Who are you talking?" She hoped that she sounded more casual than she thought she did.

"Gene Adams. She's an American witch whom I dated a few times a number of years ago." Albus said simply and a tad awkwardly.

They descended into silence as they progressed through the grounds, nearing the castle gate. Suddenly, Albus couldn't take it any more. The silence was deafening. It wasn't comfortable at all. He seemed to have developed word-vomit. "I actually had a lot of trouble finding a date. After I found out you were going with Horace, I knew that I'd have to find someone else to go with, so I pulled out an old address book of mine..."

"A little black address book?" Minerva asked, a wry smile creeping over her features.

"Well, yes," Albus continued clumsily, "so I called Gene and she agreed to go with me."

Albus left out the part where he'd been hung up on nearly fifty times. There was no point in making himself sound like a total loser.

Minerva stopped and laid a hand gently on his arm, looking up into his eyes she said, "I apologize if I inconvenienced you." Minerva's eyes searched his, and Albus felt suddenly quite breathless. "I didn't realize that you expected me to go with you." It was a lie and Minerva knew it, but she hoped that she sounded sincere, she wanted him to know that he should have asked her.

Albus couldn't quite get his bearings. There was something about her proximity that made him feel suddenly dizzy. He'd knew that they'd been closer than this before, but it had never made him feel quite so lost before. He tried somewhat desperately to pull himself out of the trance. He tried to drag his eyes from her face, he felt as if her lips were moving toward him, suffocating him. "I'm sure it all worked out for the best." Albus finally managed to say, turning away from Minerva. As suddenly as it had begun, the moment was over.

"Yes," Minerva said quietly. "We're going to be late, we should get a move on."


	7. Chapter 7

1Chapter 7

_Dinner with the Flammels_

The moon shone brightly down upon Albus and Minerva as they arrived at the Flammels

doorstop. Minerva exhaled a breath that she didn't fully realized she'd been holding. Albus smiled, and turned toward her, running his hands down over her arms.

"It's going to be fine, Minerva. They're going to love you."

Minerva lifted his eyes to his shyly, and smiled sheepishly, "I know that it's silly, but I really want to make a good impression."

Albus felt a pang of guilt that he hadn't introduced her to the Flammels and that she was now so very nervous about meeting them. Her nervousness was rather touching. "I've talked about you so much these last few years that they probably feel that they already know you," he said playfully, a grin spreading across his features, as his eyes twinkled madly.

Suddenly the door opened, and a short, slightly plump witch with cropped grey hair stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "Albus Dumbledore, don't you know that it's rude to hover in doorways? You're already late. Get in here this instant." She chided him gently, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Albus walked quickly into the house, saying, "Yes, Mam," with a playful grin and a mock salute, then he bent down and scooped the shorter woman up in his arms, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "It's nice to see you, Pernelle. Thank you for inviting us." As he let go of the older woman, a bouquet of roses appeared in his hand, which he handed to her with a flourish.

"Showoff!" Pernelle said, slapping Dumbledore playfully on the shoulder, and rolling her eyes at Minerva. "So, Dumbledore, I see your manners haven't recovered completely..." she said, gesturing to Minerva. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your _friend?" _She dragged the word friend out in a way that made Albus distinctly uncomfortable.

"Ah, yes, of course. Pernelle, this is Minerva McGonagall. Minerva this is Pernelle Flammel."

Pernelle smiled sweetly, and grasped a hold of Minerva's hand gently. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Minerva. Albus has told us so much about you, I feel that I already know you."

Albus cast a knowing glance at Minerva, and she quirked a grin at him in response.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Flammel. I'm sorry that we were late. It was my fault entirely."

"Please call me Pernelle. And don't be silly. Albus is always late...it couldn't have possibly been your fault." Pernelle said shushing Minerva as she tried to respond. "Now, we should probably adjourn to the dining room. You two can have a seat while I go find Nicholas."

"He's in his study." Albus said. It wasn't a question.

Pernelle motioned for them to sit down at the table. "I left him there over an hour ago. He said he'd be right out...but you know Nicholas." With that she set off to collect her husband.

"So, what do you think of Pernelle?" Albus asked Minerva, and suddenly he felt almost as nervous as she had been earlier.

"She seems lovely." Minerva said with a genuine smile, as she rubbed Albus's hand lightly to reassure him. "I can't wait to meet Nicholas."

Albus smiled at her. "So, no more nerves?" He asked with a cheekish grin, and earned himself a playful shove in response.

Albus was about to tease Minerva further, when he heard Nicholas's distinct voice in the hallway. "I'm going. I'm going, Pernelle. You're going to kill me woman!" With that Nicholas entered the room, his wife playfully pushing him from behind.

"Oh, Albus, you've brought a friend." Nicholas said, circling around the table to embrace Albus quickly, before moving on to Minerva. "My dear wife didn't tell me that." He said shooting a glance at Pernelle. "Who is this lovely lady?" Nicholas asked grabbing a hold of Minerva's hand, and kissing the back of it galantly.

"Minerva McGonagall." Minerva said with a very slight curtsey.

"This is Minerva McGonagall?" Nicholas asked. "The Minerva McGonagall? Your Minerva McGonagall?" He said, turning to Albus. Then, turning back to Minerva, he said, "Well, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you that I feel as if I know you already."

This time it was Minerva who cast a knowing glance at Albus, and Albus who smiled in response.

"Let's sit down to dinner then, shall we?" Pernelle asked, gesturing for everyone to have a seat.

Dinner was a pleasant affair. Minerva fit easily into the conversation, and when Albus and the Flammels began to reminisce about their long friendship, Minerva found that she quite enjoyed leaning back and watching them interact.

They had dined on Haddock and steamed veggies, which had sparked an animated conversation. Albus had gently ribbed Minerva about the fact that they were having fish, and Minerva had elbowed him in response, which had prompted Pernelle to ask why it was so funny that they were having fish. Albus had explained that Minerva's animagus form was a cat, and that, as a result, she had a rather insatiable appetite for fish. The Flammels both found this quite funny, and Nicholas, in particular, found it interesting because he thought that it probably had implications either for the side-effects of one's animagus form, or the innate nature of a person and its application to one's animagus form. Minerva answered all of his questions on the subject easily, and referred him to a few articles that she'd written some years earlier on the subject. Albus watched the interaction with interest and pride. Minerva was so brilliant. She was able to hold a conversation with Nicholas easily and he knew that Nicholas was interested in talking to her, and that he would enjoy reading her articles immensely.

After Albus had finished his haddock, Minerva had reached over and scooped up a generous helping of veggies and deposited it on his place. Albus wrinkled his nose slightly in response and began to protest. "But, I already had berries for lunch, and I had some vegetables with my fish."

Minerva shook her head slightly, "You don't eat nearly enough vegetables, and you eat entirely too many sweets. Besides the only way I got you to eat those berries was by covering them with cream and sugar." She chided gently.

Albus stuck his fork into his vegetables, admitting his defeat. Pernelle and Nicholas had been casting each other glances throughout this entire exchange. Nicholas smiled, perhaps Albus had finally settled down with the right type of woman. Pernelle's thoughts differed slightly from her husband's...Minerva seemed to care for Albus and he seemed quite fond of her, but he had bristled when she'd insinuated that they were more than friends, and she knew Albus well enough to know that he almost never knew what was good for him.


	8. Chapter 8

1Chapter 8

_Conversing with Pernelle_

After dinner, Albus and Nicholas had sojourned to Nicholas's office, and Minerva had

stayed in the kitchen to help Pernelle clean up.

Pernelle cast a glance at Minerva, as they were cleaning the table, "So, how long have

you been in love with Albus?" She asked bluntly.

Minerva immediately slumped into a nearby chair. "It's that obvious." It wasn't a question.

Pernelle nodded gently, sitting down next to Minerva. "Most people wouldn't notice, but I've known Albus a long time, and he can be pretty thick. I'm sure he has no idea how you feel about him."

"I know. I know he could never care about me."

"That's not what I meant, dear." Pernelle said, placing a hand on top of Minerva's. "I think he sees you as a friend. Albus has never been good at crossing over from one world to another his work sphere is his work sphere and his dating sphere is his dating sphere...just like his friend sphere is his friend sphere. I think that you need to get yourself out of the friend sphere."

"How do I do that?" Minerva asked sadly.

"I actually don't think that it will be that hard for you. There must be something bothering Albus, something that made him invite you to dinner tonight."

"Really?" Minerva asked hopefully.

"He's never asked you before, and you've been friends for what ten years?" Minerva nodded. "We just need some way for him to see you as a woman...not just a friend."

Minerva nodded. That had indeed always been the problem.

"Are you going to the Ministry's annual midsummer ball?" Pernelle asked, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yes," Minerva said slowly. "I'm going with Horace Slughorn."

"Horace Slughorn the potions master at the school?" Pernelle asked, realization beginning to dawn on her mind.

Minerva nodded. "Albus and I usually go together, as friends," Minerva spit the last word out, "but this year Horace asked me, so I agreed to go with him."

"Good." Pernelle said. "He's jealous. That's why he asked you here tonight. If I know Albus, he doesn't have it all figured out yet, but he is definitely jealous. That's a good start, now we just have to make sure that you drive him crazy at that ball. It'll be the perfect place for you to change the way he sees you."

Minerva smiled. For the first time, she felt as if she might possibly be able to be more than a friend to him. It was a long shot and she would have to contend with that woman that he was bringing, but she was sure that she was up to the challenge.

Pernelle smiled, as a thought came to her, "You know. Nicholas and I almost never attend those sorts of things, but I think that we may have to make an exception this year."

Minerva smiled knowingly at Pernelle as their eyes locked. "What are you doing on Monday afternoon?" Minerva asked brightly.

"Going dress shopping with you, my dear." Pernelle responded with a laugh.


	9. Chapter 9

1Chapter 9

_Conversing with Nicholas_

Nicholas lit his pipe, poured Albus a glass of brandy, and then dropped into his leather

armchair.

Albus slowly descended into the armchair opposite Nicholas's. He could tell that Nicholas had something on his mind.

"So," Nicholas said, leaning back in his chair, "Minerva seems very nice."

"She is." Albus said with an almost wistful smile.

"So, what's the deal with you two?" Nicholas asked with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Albus asked, standing up, and crossing the room.

"I mean that she is a beautiful young woman." Nicholas said with a smile, surveying Albus from across the room.

"I suppose so." Albus said with a shrug.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Nicholas asked skeptically.

"You know, the other day we were in the garden and..." Albus said breaking off.

"Yes..." Nicholas prompted.

"She made the strangest observation. She said that men think of giving flowers while women think of getting them. Isn't that interesting?" Albus said quickly, turning toward Nicholas.

"Don't change the subject, Albus."

"I wasn't changing the subject. I just thought that you might be interested since you're a philosopher of sorts."

"Of sorts...what do you mean of sorts?" Nicholas asked. Albus smiled slightly at his friend. "Bugger, Albus. Now you've got me off topic." Albus shrugged in response. "But what about you and Minerva?"

"We're friends." Albus said simply.

"That's it." Nicholas asked.

"Yes."

"Really?" Nicholas prompted.

"Yes, why is it so hard to believe that we're just friends?"

"You seem to care for her very much."

"We're friends...very good friends."

"You brought her to dinner."

"I thought that it was about time that you finally meet her. You're my closest friends."

"She's very smart."

"Of course she's smart, have I ever been partners with anyone who isn't smart?" Albus asked raising his eyes at Nicholas, daring him to contradict him.

"She's very beautiful."

Albus's face fell. "Do you really think so?" He asked Nicholas carefully. Why did everyone seem to think that Minerva was beautiful all of a sudden, and why had he never noticed?

"Of course..." Nicholas said impatiently. "You really haven't noticed have you?" He asked, amazed by Albus's blindness.

Albus shook his head in response. "We're friends."

Nicholas put his head in his hands. "Oh, Albus, you're going to be the death of me. You really need to get your head out of your arse. She's a vast improvement over your usual type."

"What type?" Albus asked sheepishly.

"Your usual type. Not too bright, fairly short, very beautiful, not very permanent...like that American witch you dated for awhile...the one you were semi-serious about...what was her name?"

"Gene Adams..." Albus ventured.

"Yes, that's it." Nicholas said. "At least you don't see her anymore."

Albus blushed slightly and dropped his eyes to the floor. "Well, actually..."

"You don't see her anymore...tell me you don't see her anymore."

"Well, I haven't in a long time, but I didn't have a date for the midsummer ball, so I invited her and she agreed to go, she's arriving next Friday."

Nicholas rubbed his head tiredly. "Why didn't you just go to the ball with Minerva? She's twice the woman that Gene is?"

Albus sipped his brandy. "If you must know, she has a date."

"Ah," Nicholas said knowingly that was why he'd brought her to dinner. "Who's she going with?"

"Horace Slughorn..." Albus said, trying not to sound too annoyed. "He asked her this morning."

"Well, if you were going to ask her, shouldn't you have beat him to the punch. You shouldn't have left it to the last minute."

"I wasn't going to ask her. We don't have that sort of relationship. We always go together. She should have known." Albus said setting his glass down rather fiercely.

Nicholas nodded. Albus had a lot of learning to do.


End file.
